Centrifugal casting apparatus



1941- w. G. BRIDEWELL ET AL 2,267,896

CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS I h it Filed June 25, 1941 f Hi PatentedDec; 30, 1941 1 2,267,896 can'mmucar. cas'rmc Arram'rus William G..Brldewell and Frank M. Jordan, Bessemer, Ala, asslgnors to UnitedStates Pipe and Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationJune 25, 1941, Serial No. ssasas .9 Claims.

The invention relates to centrifugal casting apparatus and involves.improved means for guiding and supporting the pouring trough in thattype of casting apparatus in which a rotary mold and a pouring troughare relatively movable longitudinally with respect to each other toposition the trough within the mold and to withdraw it therefrom duringthe casting operations.

In one arrangement of centrifugal casting apparatus heretofore used, thepouring trough is provided with a fixed support at one end and therotary mold is movable longitudinally with respect to the trough so asto position the trough within the mold and to withdraw it therefrom,with the outlet end of the trough spaced outwardly from the mold uponcompletion of the casting operation. In such an arrangement the onlycustomary support for the trough is that which is provided by a fixedsupport at the inlet end of the trough, and this is often insufiicientto prevent lateral movement of the trough in the mold during the castingoperations. In using such apparatus, the practice heretofore has been toguide the free or outlet end of the trough into the mold manually bymeans of a suitable manipulating bar placed beneath the free end of thetrough. In this operation two men are required, one at each end of thisbar. Attempts have been made heretofore to provide means for supportingthe pouring trough, in addition to the fixed support at the inlet endthereof. Inasmuch as it is advisable to locate such additionalsupporting means close to the mold or the mold carriage in order thatthe maximum advantages may be obtained, such a support, fixed to themold carriage, has been found to interfere with the necessary operationsin the use of the casting apparatus if it is immovably attached to themold carriage in close proximity thereto. On the other hand it does notfurnish suficient support for the trough if permanently spaced too farfrom the carriage.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is the provisionof means to guide the outlet end of the pouring trough into the mold atthe beginning of the centrifugal casting operation. Another object ofthe invention is the provision of means for steadying and supporting thepouring trough against lateral movement during the casting operation. Afurther object of the invention is the provision of trough'supportingmeans which is arranged to move to and fro with the mold in themovements of the mold time is arranged to have limited movementlongitudinally with respect to the mold-in order that the support maybe'spaced different distances from the mold in various positions of thelatter. A further object of the invention is the provision of means formoving such a support so as to position it close to the mold when thepouring trough is within the mold, and to space it away from the moldwhen the latter is in the position in which the pouring trough iswithdrawn therefrom. A still further object of the invention is theprovision in such a support of means for compensating for irregularitiesin the bottom of the pouring trough as the support moves from end to endthereof. Still further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description, taken with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, showingcentrifugal casting apparatus with the improved trough supporting deviceembodied therein, the supporting device being shown in the positionwhich it occupies when the pouring trough is within the mold;

Fig. 2'is an enlarged end elevational view, partly in section, of thesupporting device illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. '3 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, of thesupporting device illustrated in Fig. 1, the parts being shown in theposition which they occupy when the pouring trough is withdrawn from themold.

While the improved trough support disclosed herein may be utilized withother forms of molding apparatus, the improvement is illustrated inconnection with centrifugal casting apparatus such as that shown anddescribed in Russell and Langenberg Patent No. 1,949,433,.granted March6, 1934, for Method and apparatus for casting pipes centrifugally. i

As shown in the drawing herein, such apparatus comprises a mold l0rotatably mounted in a water box H which is provided with wheels l2 andserves as a carriage for the mold. Rotary longitudinally of the trough,and at the same movement for the mold l0 may be provided-by an electricmotor l3 mounted on the water box H and operatively connected to themold through suitable gearing l4. The wheels l2 of the mold carriage arearranged to travel upon rails l5 fixed to the base 16 of the castingapparatus. A piston ll operating in a cylinder l8 secured to the base l6has its outer end connected to the mold carriage at IQ for moving thevcarriage to and fro on the rails l5 during the casting operations.

fixed at its inlet end 2| to a. support rigid with respect to the baseIt so that the free or outlet end 22 may move into and out of the moldIt as the mold carriage is moved back and forth on its track. Moltenmetal is supplied to the pouring trough 20 through a spout 23 curvingdownwardly from the outlet of a ladle 24 which is operated by a pistonrod 25 connected to a piston in a suitable cylinder 25.

The particular casting apparatus described above is well-known in theindustry, and it is believed that no further description thereof isnecessary to a complete understanding of its structure and operation. Itwill be understood that the apparatus is of the type in which a streamof molten metal is deposited in the mold in the form of a spiralextending from end to end of the mold.

The present improved trough supporting mechanism comprises a pair ofguide members 21, preferably cylindrical in form, rigidly secured to theopposite sides of the water box adjacent one end thereof. The guidecylinders 21 may be attached to the water box by means of brackets 28which engage about the cylinders and are bolted or otherwise secured tothe water box. A plunger 29 is arranged in each of the cylinders 21 andthe forward end of each extends outwardly through a suitable opening ina cap member 30. The rear end of each plunger 29 is provided with areduced portion 3| which extends outwardly of the cylinder through asuitable opening in a cap member 32. A ring 33 surrounding the plunger29 within the cylinder is secured to the cylinder by means of suitablescrews 34 and forms an abutment for one end of a coiled compressionspring 35 surrounding the plunger and having its opposite end engagingwith a collar 36 on the reduced end 3| of the plunger and retained inplace by means of lock nuts 31. The coiled spring 35 thus tends to movethe plunger to the right as shown in Fig. 3, and the lock nuts 31 abutagainst the cap member 32 to limit this movement.

The front ends of both plungers are provided with reduced portions 38which extend through suitable openings near the ends of a crossbar 39secured thereon by nuts 40 threaded on the ends of the plungers. Twobracket members 4| are bolted to the crossbar 39 in spaced relation asshown in Fig. 2. Each of the bracket members 4| is provided with avertical opening arranged to receive a suspender rod 42 with a slidingfit. The upper end of the opening through each bracket member 4| isenlarged to receive a coiled spring 43, the lower end of which restsupon the bottom of the enlargement and the upper end of which abutsagainst a washer 44 slidably fitting within the enlargement and retainedon the rod by means of athreaded nut 45.

Lateral extensions 46 on a. hanger or sheave block 41 are secured on thelower ends of the suspender rods 42 by means of nuts 48 threaded on theends of the rods. A grooved roller 49 supported on a pin in the block 41engages beneath the trough 20 in the various positions of the trough inthe casting operations.

A stop bar 50 is secured at its upper end to the reduced rear end 3| ofeach of the plungers, outwardl of the cylinders 21. The stop bars 50extend outwardly and downwardly so that their free ends are outside thebase of the casting apparatus. A bracket secured to the base |6 on eacbside of the casting apparatus is provided with a stop pin 52. The stoppins 52 are arranged to engage with the lower ends of stop bars 50 whenthe mold carriage moves into the position in which the outlet end 22 ofthe pouring trough is withdrawn from the mold. As shown herein, the stoppins 52 are threaded in the brackets 5| so that they may be adjusted toconform to the position of the mold carriage when the trough iswithdrawn therefrom.

As will be apparent from the showing in Fig. 3, the coiled springs 35are compressed when the mold is withdrawn from the trough so that thesesprings tend to restore the plungers 29 to their normal positions whenthe mold again moves into the casting position. From the structuredescribed, it will be apparent that the expansive action of coiledsprings 35 will move the plungers in a direction to maintain the troughsupporting roller 49 near the mold carriage during the castingoperation, that is, during that part of the casting operation in whichthe trough is being withdrawn from the mold. As the outlet end of thetrough is withdrawn from the mold, the lower end of the stop bars 50 aremoved into contact with the stop pins 52 and the plungers are moved in adirection to move the trough supporting roller 49 away from the moldcarriage and thus leave the outlet end 22 of the pouring trough free ofany parts of the apparatus which might otherwise interfere with thecleaning of this end of the trough, or interfere with such other work asis necessary at the adjacent end of the mold between casting operations.When the carriage again moves in the direction to position the troughwithin the mold, springs 35 operate to restore the roller 49 to aposition adjacent the end of the carriage, and it remains in thisposition until stop bars 50 again contact with stop pins 52 as the moldwithdraws from the outlet end of the trough. Inasmuch as the washers 44on the upper ends of springs 43 are of a size to fit within theenlargements in the brackets 4|, springs 43 provide a resilient mountingfor the roller 49 so that th'e.hanger may accommodate itself toirregularities in the bottom of the trough 20. The proper verticaladjustment of the roller 49 may be obtained by turning nuts 45 on theupper ends of suspender rods 42.

While one form of trough guiding and'supporting apparatus is disclosedherein, together with certain arrangements of the parts thereof, thisform and the arrangements of the parts are intended to be illustrativeonly, and it will be understood that such changes are contemplated ascome within the scope of the appended claims What we desire to claim is:

1. In centrifugal casting apparatus having a pouring trough and arotatable mold relatively movable with respect to the trough toposition.

the trough within the mold and withdraw it therefrom with the outlet endof the trough longitudinally spaced from the end of the mold, thecombination therewith of a trough support mounted for movementlongitudinally of said trough and for limited movement longitudinally ofsaid mold to guide the outlet end of said trough into said mold and torestrain said trough against lateral movement with respect to said mold,means for moving said support toward said mold as said mold moves in thedirection to position said trough within said mold, and means for movingsaid support away from said mold as said mold approaches the limit ofits movement to withdraw said trough from said mold.

*' 2. In centrifugal casting apparatus having a pouring trough, arotatable mold, and a mold carriage relatively movable with respect tothe trough to position the trough within the mold and withdraw ittherefrom with the outlet end of the trough longitudinally spaced fromthe end of the mold, the combinationtherewith of a trough supportmounted on said carriage for limited movement longitudinally thereof toguide the outlet end of said trough into said mold and to restrain saidtrough against lateral movement with respect to said mold, means formoving said support toward said carriage as said carriage moves in thedirection to position said trough within said mold, and means for movingsaid support away from said carriage as said carriage approaches thelimit of its movement to withdraw said trough from said mold.

3. In centrifugal casting apparatus having a pouring trough and arotatable mold movable move said support with respect to said mold tothe limit of its movement toward said mold, and stop means for movingsaid support away from said mold as said trough is withdrawn from saidmold.

4. In centrifugal casting apparatus having a pouring trough, a rotatablemold, and a mold carriage relatively movable with respect to the troughto position the trough within the mold and withdraw it therefrom withthe outlet end 'of the trough longitudinally spaced from the end of themold, the combination therewith of trough supporting and guiding meanscomprising a pair of cylinders mounted on said carriage for movementtherewith, a plunger in each of said cylinders and having one end ofeach projecting outwardly of its cylinder beyond said carriage. acrossbar secured to the projecting ends of said plungers, means on saidcrossbar for guiding the outlet end of said trough into said mold andfor holding said trough against lateral movement with respect to, saidmold, a spring in each of said cylinders and cooperating with theplunger therein to resist movement of said crossbar away from saidcarriage, and stop means to move said crossbar away from said carriagewhen said trough is withdrawn from said mold.

5. In centrifugal casting apparatus having a pouring trough, a rotatablemold, and a mold carriage relatively movable with respect to the troughto position the trough within the mold and withdraw it therefrom withthe outlet end of the trough longitudinally spaced from the end of themold, the combination therewith of guide members on said carriage,supporting means mounted in said guide members for movementlongitudinally of said carriage, a trough support on said supportingmeans for guiding the outer end of said trough into said mold and forholding said trough against lateral movement in said mold, means formoving said supporting means toward said carriage as said carriage movesto "a position in which said trough is within said mold, and means formoving said supporting means away from said carriage as said trough iswithdrawn fromsaid mold.

- 6. Centrifugal casting apparatus comprising a mold carriage, a moldrotatably mounted thereon, a'pouring trough supported at one end andhaving its opposite end free to extend into said mold, a cylindermounted on each side of said carriage for movement therewith, a plungerin each cylinder and having one end projecting outwardly thereof beyondone end of said carriage, a crossbar secured to the projecting ends ofthe plungers, a trough support carried by said crossbar for guiding thefree end of said trough into said mold' and restraining said troughagainst lateral movement within said mold, a coiled spring surroundingthe plunger in each cylinder and tending to resist outward movement ofthe plunger with respect to the cylinder, and fixed stop means operatingwhen said carriage nears the limit of its movement away from said troughto move said trough supportvaway from said carriage.

7. Centrifugal casting apparatus comprising a mold carriage, a moldrotatably mounted thereon, a pouring trough supported at one end andhaving its opposite end free to extend into said mold, a cylindermounted on each side of said carriagearijacent one end thereof and movabe with the carriage, a plunger in each cylinder and having its oppositeend projecting outwardly therefrom, a crossbar secured on the ends ofsaid plunger-s outwardly of one end of said carriage, supporting rodssuspended from said crossbar on opposite sides of said trough, a rollermounted between the lower ends of said supporting rods for engagementbeneath said trough to support and guide the same, a coiled springsurrounding the plunger in each cylinder and acting to resist movementof saidroller away from said carriage, and stop means on the ends ofsaid plungers opposite said crossbar to move said roller away from saidcarriage as said carriage nears the limit of its movement away from saidtrough.

8. Mechanism for supporting the pouring trough of centrifugal castingapparatus, comprising a pair of guide members for attachment to a moldcarriage, a rod slidably mounted in each guide member, a crossbarsecured on one end of each rod, a hanger suspended from said crossbar, atrough-supporting roller mounted in said hanger, and springs interposedbetween the rods and the guide members to resist movement of said rolleraway from said guide members.

9. Centrifugal casting apparatus comprising a mold carriage, a moldrotatably mounted thereon, a pouring trough supported at one end andhaving its opposite end free to extend into one end of said mold, andmeans mounted on-

